COLUMBUS, Ohio-Maurielle “MJ” Cooper, a junior at Columbus College of Art & Design, has been passionate about art since childhood. However, her creative journey was interrupted at age 14 when she contracted meningitis, which caused her to lose her vision for six months and suffer from chronic migraines. Despite these challenges, she regained her sight and transformed her pain into artistic expression, creating pieces inspired by her experiences, including one titled “Galaxy III.” Cooper partnered with ArtLifting, which supports artists with disabilities, and was selected by JanSport to design backpacks featuring her artworks, “Galaxy III” and “Garden Petals.” Each backpack includes tags with her portrait and story, which she hopes will inspire others, especially young Black women.
